Shocking News
by purplecat41877
Summary: Splinter comes down with a serious condition. Prequel to Final Moments.


Disclaimer: Ninja Turtles are not mine but Chloe is. Please do not sue and no flames.

**Shocking News**

The turtles were in the entertainment area watching an action movie. They had gotten the movie for their eighteenth birthday a couple days ago.

The DVD player was turned off once the movie was over. Just then, the turtles heard a raspy cough and then saw Splinter enter the room.

"You OK?" Donny asked Splinter with concern.

"No offense, sensei, but you sound and look terrible," Leo said.

"It is probably a bad cold," Splinter said. "I shall make myself some chicken soup and peppermint tea and see if that will help."

"I can make those things for you, sensei," Mikey said and then headed for the kitchen once Splinter agreed on it.

"Why don't you sit down for a bit, sensei?" Raph suggested, leading Splinter over to the sofa and Splinter sat down.

Donny, Leo, and Raph tried to make Splinter as comfortable as possible. Several minutes later, Mikey came back out with a tray of chicken soup and peppermint tea and carefully placed the tray on Splinter's lap.

"Thanks, Michelangelo," Splinter said gratefully.

"My pleasure, Master Splinter," Mikey said with a grin.

The turtles talked with each other while Splinter drank the tea and ate the soup. When he was done, Mikey took the tray, headed to the kitchen with it, and Splinter fell asleep.

* * *

A couple days later, Splinter had gotten worse. Donny had moved him out of his room and onto a cot in the lab.

Splinter spent most of his time on the cot and he was having trouble breathing. Donny had informed Splinter that he was running a 104°F fever and put a cold cloth on his forehead.

Donny went to the cabinet and got out a humidifier. He put it on the ground in the corner of the lab that was closest to the cot and plugged it in.

Splinter was sleeping peacefully so Donny decided to catch a break. He made sure Splinter was comfortable and then left the lab.

* * *

Leo decided to go check on Splinter. When he got to the lab, he peeked in and saw that Splinter was sleeping peacefully and that the humidifier was on. He also noticed that Donny wasn't in the lab. Leo decided to check the spot that his brother sometimes went to whenever he needed to be away from everything.

Leo left the lair without being noticed. He walked through the sewers until he got to his brother's special spot.

Leo spotted his brother facing one of the walls. He went over to Donny and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Donny, everything all right?" Leo asked with concern.

"Unfortunately, it's not," Donny said with a sigh.

"How's Splinter doing?"

"He's gotten worse."

"Should we let Mikey and Raph know?"

"Not yet. We don't want to upset them unnecessarily. We'll break the news if and when we need to."

"I'll respect your wishes."

"Thanks."

Donny and Leo wrapped their arms around each other. A few minutes later, they released each other and headed back to the lair.

* * *

Donny and Leo arrived at the lair a little later. Without warning, Raph threw his arms around Donny who returned the gesture.

"Donny, we need your help!" Raph said in a panic.

"What happened?" Donny asked with concern and then he and Raph released each other.

"Master Splinter's coughing up blood and Mikey's in there with him!"

"I'll go take care of it but I need both of you to come with me."

Leo and Raph nodded. Then the three of them hurried to the lab.

When they got there, Donny rushed over to Splinter, made sure he was all right, then cleaned up the blood. Donny checked to see how high Splinter's fever was and it turned out to be 104°F.

Just then, Donny requested to see Leo alone. Mikey and Raph nodded and left the lab.

"Is there a problem?" Leo asked with concern.

"Splinter's not getting better," Donny said, struggling to stay in control. "He's still running a high fever, he's not breathing properly, and he just coughed up blood."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"We can call Chloe and see if she can help us out."

"I'll call her now."

"I'll stay with Splinter."

Leo got out his shell cell and called Chloe. After talking with her for several minutes, he hung up.

"Chloe agreed to help out," Leo said.

"Is she moving down here for a while?" Donny asked.

"Actually, she's letting us stay with her."

"We should get moving then."

"I'll let Mikey and Raph know that we're moving in with the Calls so they can get what they need."

"I'll take care of Master Splinter."

Donny and Leo wrapped their arms around each other. A few minutes later, they released each other and Leo left the lab.

* * *

Later on, Mikey, Leo, and Raph were standing in the Calls' living room. Donny and ten year old Chloe Calls were in another room taking care of Splinter.

Eventually, Donny came out of the room. He headed right for the living room.

"You and Chloe find out anything?" Leo asked Donny.

"What's going on?" Mikey wanted to know.

"Is there something going on with Splinter that we don't know about?" Raph asked.

"I wanted to confirm the problem before I said anything," Donny said. "It turns out that Master Splinter has pneumonia."

"You sure about that?" Leo asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Donny replied, his voice breaking. "Chloe and I will do what we can but there's a very good chance that he won't make it."

"If you can't save Master Splinter, no one can," Raph said.

"I can't believe that our sensei is dying," Mikey said, his voice breaking.

The turtles wrapped their arms around each other and the floodgates broke open. They buried their wet faces in each other's shoulders and held each other for a very long time.

The End


End file.
